The North State Journal

Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a concurring opinion, joined by Justice Neil Gorsuch, in the recent case that restricted the use of race in designing a Louisiana congressional district. Thomas wrote: “This Court […]

Expanded March reduces chance of madness

Seemingly unrelated story number one: Growing up, every summer, the carnival would come to town. My favorite game was the ring toss. One dollar got you 10 plastic rings, and you had to stand behind […]

April US home sales flat as lackluster spring homebuying season lurches forward

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes were essentially flat in April, another lackluster showing for the housing market during what’s traditionally its busiest time of the year. Existing home sales edged up 0.2% last month […]

Stablecoin bill moving through the NC House

RALEIGH — North Carolina lawmakers are poised to position the state as a national leader in cryptocurrency regulation with House Bill 1029, the NC Digital Asset and Stablecoin Act. The bill was filed by Rep. […]

"Pop Culture Jeopardy!” gets a second season
The stream: ‘Dutton Ranch,’ Colin Jost plays games, Maluma, Stanley Tucci, ‘The Crash’

May 15, 2026

The long-awaited “Yellowstone” spinoff “Dutton Ranch” and a fresh collection from the Colombian superstar Maluma, are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you. Also, among the streaming [...]
Despite all of this, European nations exhibit a haughty detachment from American interests, demanding help but rarely offering any
HARSANYI: Why stay in NATO if Europe isn’t willing to help us?

May 15, 2026

President Donald Trump recently announced that he was reducing U.S. military presence in Germany by at least 5,000 troops, with plans to “cut way down” the 70,000 active-duty military personnel in Europe. The move comes [...]
Rocky Mount updated the commission on its efforts to stabilize the city’s finances
LGC approves $1.5B-plus for Charlotte

May 15, 2026

RALEIGH — During its May meeting, North Carolina’s Local Government Commission signed off on more than $1.5 billion in new borrowing for the City of Charlotte, including $215 million in revenue bonds to build a fourth [...]
The Constitution protects the right to vote, but it does not guarantee that one’s preferred candidate will win
WATKINS: SCOTUS disentangles race and politics in voting rights case

May 15, 2026

Recent headlines were apoplectic in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais (2026). The Guardian led with “US Supreme Court ‘demolishes’ Voting Rights Act, gutting provision that prevented racial discrimination.” The [...]
Mickey Mouse debuts, SCOTUS rules on Brown V. Board of Education, Mount St. Helens erupts
This week in history: May 14 to May 20

May 14, 2026

May 14 1607: Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America, was established by members of the Virginia Company. 1804: The Lewis and Clark expedition, organized to explore the Louisiana Territory and the Pacific [...]

Nvidia, Corning strike deal to expand U.S. AI manufacturing

May 15, 2026 Comments Off

Nvidia and Corning are teaming up in a multiyear partnership aimed at scaling up U.S.-based manufacturing for the optical systems that underpin artificial intelligence infrastructure. The agreement centers on expanding production of fiber, connectivity and […]

SHAPIRO: Medicaid millionaires are hiding in plain sight

May 15, 2026 Comments Off

Fraud in government programs is often treated like an urban legend — something that happens in faraway blue cities run by corrupt political machines. But the truth is more unsettling: Some of the most brazen […]

Survey: Teachers say schools good place to work, learn

May 15, 2026 Comments Off

RALEIGH — North Carolina’s 2026 Teacher Working Conditions Survey released during a State Board of Education work session last week showed that teachers across the state are highly committed to their schools and students, but student behavior is an issue. More than […]

All spring game: Top standouts entering summer

All around the college football world, spring practices have come to a close and now everyone’s focus shifts ahead to the start of the 2026 season in the fall. But who are some of those […]

Hansbrough, Hamilton and Isner headline NC Sports HOF 2026 class

A new set of local sports icons now have their memories and impact forever enshrined. The North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame inducted 10 new members in its 2026 class in Greensboro on May 1. […]

College baseball enters the home stretch

Call it “come what May”. It may not have the same poetry as March Madness, but the start of May means crunch time for college baseball. We are two weeks out from the ACC baseball […]

Golden Tempo takes the Kentucky Derby

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — After being asked all week about the possibility of becoming the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner, Cherie DeVaux was nearly speechless when Golden Tempo charged from the back of […]

Blake’s OT winner sends Hurricanes back to Eastern Conference final

PHILADELPHIA — The Hurricanes are perfect through eight games of the Stanley Cup playoffs. They’re also off to their third Eastern Conference final in four seasons. Jackson Blake’s overtime goal handed the Flyers a 3-2 […]

Category 5: Hurricanes eye chance to return to conference final

PHILADELPHIA — The Hurricanes will look to close out their second round series with the Flyers and become the fifth team to win their first eight playoff games. Carolina has outshot its opponent in all […]

The Word: Secrets to a happy life

“As your days — so shall your strength be!” Deuteronomy 33:25 One of the secrets of happy and beautiful life, is to live one day at a time. Really, we never have anything to do […]

Netflix’s ‘Lord of the Flies’ offers harrowing descent into horror

NEW YORK — Put 40 boys alone on an island and what do you get? Harmony or chaos? British author William Golding predicted not good things in his harrowing 1954 classic novel “Lord of the […]

Far from Philadelphia original, fans hunt for Liberty Bell replica in each state

RALEIGH — Want to see the Liberty Bell this semiquincentennial but don’t have the time or cheese for a pilgrimage to Philadelphia? Have no fear: Chances are, there’s one at a state Capitol, museum or […]

Former Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden cheered for Authors Guild honor

NEW YORK — Nearly a year since she was abruptly fired by President Donald Trump as librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden stood before hundreds of cheering members of the literary community as she received a […]

The stream: ‘The Drama,’ MUNA, Rachel McAdams, Dan Stevens, ‘The Other Bennet Sister’

May 8, 2026

“The Drama,” a rom-com that goes bad starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, and the synth-pop group MUNA releasing their fourth studio album, “Dancing on the Wall,” are some of the new television, films, music and […]

This week in history: May 7 to May 13

May 7, 2026

May 7 1915: A German U-boat torpedoed and sank the British liner RMS Lusitania off the southern coast of Ireland, killing 1,198 people, including 128 Americans, out of the nearly 2,000 on board. 1945: Nazi […]

MATTHEWS: Virginia Democrats running out of options in redistricting wars

May 14, 2026

To say the last two weeks have not been good for Democrats in the redistricting wars would be an understatement. The biggie, of course, was the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the Louisiana v. Callais […]

HILL: Two Tofu-Fil-A sandwiches to go please?

May 14, 2026

As I was sitting in the drive-thru lane at Chick-fil-A to pick up lunch to take to our grandson and a friend at a local school, it occurred to me that there was no such […]

HARSANYI: Nazi tattoo? Hamas defender? No problem, says Chuck Schumer

Maine Gov. Janet Mills has suspended her Senate campaign after failing to raise enough money to compete with socialist Graham Platner, who will now almost certainly face the perpetual centrist Republican Susan Collins in the […]

BLACKMON: California copied Europe’s insane energy playbook

Even as U.S. gasoline prices rise again amid ongoing Strait of Hormuz tensions, American drivers are still paying less than half what many Europeans and Asians endure at the pump. The reason is simple: America […]

HOSAFLOOK: A birthday larger than itself: What Albania taught me about America